Mese: luglio 2016

The US National Champion got the absolute victory in the biggest Cycling Stage for Women, the second athlete from the United States after Mara Abbott in 2010 and 2013. Born in Glen Falls on 4th May 1985, last year she has won the Strade Bianche, and she finished third the Giro and the World Championships in Richmond. The Giro Rosa 2016 has been her most important goal of the season and now she is taking a look to the Olympic Race of Rio, where she wants to win a medal.

In this Giro Megan Guarnier has been one of the most constant of the favorites: race leader in San Fior after the first stage, she had to give the leadership the day after in Montenars. In the very hot and tough stage in Alassio/Madonna della Guardia she could be back in Pink. Second place for Evelyn Stevens at 34” and third is Anna Van der Breggen at 1’53”. The final stage in Verbania has been won by Thalita De Jong (Rabo-Liv), Cyclocross World Champion 2016. Second was Riejanne Markus (Liv-Plantur) and third Maria Giulia Confalonieri again on the podium after Lovere (2°) and Legnano (3°)

Bronzini – Bastianelli – Confalonieri: the “Tricolore” flag shines at the finish line in Legnano, at the end of a frightening stage.
The 97.550 km of the stage started in Rescaldina were mostly on the roads of the Coppa Bernocchi were run at high speed, with a breakaway that included Alena Amialiusik (Canyon-SRAM), Anna Ceoloni (Servetto-Footon-Alurecycling), Rozanne Slik (Liv-Plantur), Audrey Cordon (Wiggle High5), Malgorzata Jasinska (Alè-Cipollini), Lex Albrecht (BePink) and Ana Maria Covrig (Inpa-Bianchi), with the National Champion of Romania who passed first on the climb of Gornate Superiore (Category 3). In the second part, the peloton tried to accelerate, but the attacks continued in the front: Amialiusik and Covrig remained alone but Ceoloni joined them again with Slik close to the passage at the finish line in Legnano. Ana Covrig didn’t give up and attacked at the last kilometer, the peloton was just behind her and in the bunch sprint Giorgia Bronzini has been the fastest, beating other two italians, Marta Bastianelli (Alè-Cipollini) and Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Lensworld-Zannata), who was second in the sprint in Lovere.

Nothing changes in the General Classification: Megan Guarnier remains in Pink with only one stage to go: her advantage is 34” from her teammate Evelyn Stevens (Boels Dolmans) and 1’53” from Anna Van der Breggen (Rabo-Liv)

Declarations of Giorgia Bronzini: “This victory is important because the National Coach Dino Salvoldi called me to be part of our team at the Olympic Games in Rio. This event will demonstrate that the Italian Women National Cycling Team will completely honour the National Jersey.

Note for the press: the press conference of the fifth Jersey Winners of the 27th Giro Rosa is fixed at the end of the stage in Verbania – Pallanza.

“Triplete” for the American in this Giro Rosa: with the time of 36’21” Evelyn Stevens took the best time in the Individual Time Trial from Albisola Superiore to Varazze beating Anna Van der Breggen and Elisa Longo Borghini for 4”. The result is an answer about the condition of the American Champion, who is going to take an eye to Rio: Nobody has won more stages than Stevens in this Giro.

Elisa Longo Borghini took an exceptional performance in the Time Trial (she is the Italian National Champion in this discipline) after the problems on the climb of Madonna della Guardia yesterday.
Anna Van der Breggen, winner of the Giro 2015, has earned one position in the General Classification: she is third now (Mara Abbott is now fourth) with 1’53” delay, Stevens is second with 34” from Megan Guarnier in Pink Jersey.

Tomorrow’s Stage, from Rescaldina to Legnano, is run on the roads of the Coppa Bernocchi and it can give a chance to the sprinters remained in the race.

Evelyn Stevens takes the victory after a spectacular stage with uphill finish in Alassio/Madonna della Guardia, with her compatriot Megan Guarnier who is back wearing the Pink Jersey

It has been a very emotional stage: Katarzyna Niewiadoma tried a solo breakaway in the first phase, characterized by the climbs of Passo del Ginestro, Colle di Nava and Passo Caprauna. Here Mara Abbott went to catch the escapist of Rabo-Liv Team together with Evelyn Stevens, forming a top-level trio. The first 8 chasers, included Guderzo and Cecchini, accelerated in the downhill and catched the head of the race before Albenga (Intermediate Sprint). Cecchini had troubles but could be back in the front before the start of the climb. Here Abbott forced the rhythm, and tried to attack twice: only Van der Breggen, Stevens, Lichtenberg and Tatiana Guderzo resisted, but the Italians must give up in the last 2 kilometers. At 1.5 kms to go, Stevens makes the decisive attack, Abbott gave up this permitted to the American of Boels Dolmans to take the victory, the second in her Giro Rosa, in another uphill finish. Megan Guarnier came second 6” later and becomes the new Race Leader with three stages to go and the Individual Time Trial in Varazze tomorrow which should give an unofficial idea about the final General Classification. At the moment the GC podium is 100 made in USA, with Guarnier, Abbott and Stevens.

Evelyn Stevens said: “That’s a splendid sensation, I didn’t expect to win two stages in such a race and I’ve done it in the two uphill finishes. I am really happy, Megan got the Pink Jersey and it’s amazing. I dedicate this victory to our teammate Karol-Ann Canuel who did a splendid job”.

The hardest climb of this Giro Rosa has been dominated by the American champion, already winner of two editions in her great career.

Mara Abbott has been phenomenal on the hard slopes of the Mortirolo, 12 kilometers at 10.8% with a maximal slope of 18%. Only the English grimpeur Emma Pooley tried to stay with the attacker but it hasn’t been possible. In the Maglia Rosa Group remained Van der Breggen, Lichtenberg, Stevens, Guarnier, Longo Borghini and Tuhai, with Vysostka and Schweizer catching this small peloton after the top of the climb. In the downhill Mara Abbott crashed and Tatiana Guderzo is also back tìin the Maglia Rosa group. Emma Pooley has troubles in the downhill and couldn’t stay with the main peloton, same as the Pink Jersey Evelyn Stevens. Mara Abbott is the new race leader, and Elisa Longo Borghini makes the double for Wiggle High5 Team winning the sprint of the chasers. Tatiana Guderzo is in third place.

Declarations of Mara Abbott: “It has been a crazy stage, as for its difficulty as for my troubles due to a crash in the downhill. But I’m happy to be the new Pink Jersey and this is important”. Mara did the Mortirolo in 51’44”!

Declarations of Elisa Longo Borghini: “It’s a big moment for our team, we are doing a great job in this Giro Rosa. Mara said “bye” to us in the climb of Mortirolo, then Lichtenberg took a tremendous rhythm in the downhill, but I am happy to have won the final sprint of the chasers. Go further!”.